Forum discussion

What data should every Arab city profile include for site selectors?

By CityCalc Research Desk, Moderator · New York / MENA · Fri May 22 2026 · Seeded discussion

This is a seeded editorial discussion written by CityCalc's research desk to illustrate the questions professionals ask. It is not a real member conversation.

We are standardizing city profiles across the Arab world. What fields should be mandatory for every city, even when data is imperfect?

Current proposed minimum:
- Airport / port / rail access
- Free zone or SEZ access
- Incorporation timeline
- Corporate tax / incentives summary
- Office and industrial real estate indicators
- Talent availability
- Languages
- Procurement portals
- Legal/regulatory notes
- Quality of life
- Data confidence

Replies (5)

Leila K., Corporate Site Selector · London · Sat May 23 2026

Add 'decision use case.' A city can be excellent for logistics and weak for HQ. Universal rankings are less useful than weighted rankings by business need.

Sara E., Talent Strategy Lead · Amman · Sat May 23 2026

Add salary benchmarks, university pipeline, language availability, work permit process, and localization requirements.

Faisal A., Supply Chain Consultant · Riyadh · Sun May 24 2026

For logistics: distance to port, airport cargo, customs environment, bonded warehousing, and road connectivity.

Tarek M., Market Entry Counsel · Cairo · Mon May 25 2026

For legal: foreign ownership, licensing path, tax, employment law, local partner requirements, dispute resolution, and data protection.

CityCalc Research Desk, Moderator · New York / MENA · Wed May 27 2026

We will add a methodology badge to distinguish official, third-party, modeled, and community-verified data.

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